Magoosh RC - Time Flow -- meaning of "qualifies"

[rishimaharaj]

Hi all,
I was practicing some RC passages earlier & trying to incorporate writing while reading (not going too well, but that's a different story). I reached a passage about Time and had a question where I didn't really understand what was being asked.

Here is the passage:

The human experience and observation of time has been variously interpreted. Parmenides, an Italiote Greek (Eleotic) philosopher (6th-5th century BC), and Zeno, his fellow townsman and disciple, held that change is logically inconceivable and that logic is a surer indicator of reality than experience; thus, despite appearances, reality is unitary and motionless. In this view, time is an illusion. The illusoriness of the world that flows in time is also to be found in some Indian philosophy. The Buddha and, among the Greeks Plato and Plotinus, all held that life in the time flow, though not wholly illusory, is at best a low-grade condition by comparison, respectively, with the Buddhist Nirvana (in which desires are extinguished) and with the Platonic world of Ideas; i.e., of incorporeal timeless exemplars, of which phenomena in the time flow are imperfect and ephemeral copies.

It has been held, however, by disciples of the Greek philosopher Heracleitus, that the time flow is of the essence of reality. Others have held that life in the time flow, though it may be wretched, nevertheless is momentous; for it is here that a person decides his destiny. In the Buddhist view, a person's conduct in any one of his successive lives on earth will increase or diminish his prospects of eventually breaking out of the cycle of recurrent births. For those who believe in only one earthly life, however, the momentousness of life in the time flow is still greater, because this life will be followed by an everlasting life at a destination decided by conduct in this brief and painful testing time. The view that life in time on earth is a probation for weal or woe in an everlasting future has often been associated, as it was by the Iranian prophet Zoroaster (c. 600 BC), with a belief in a general judgment of all who have ever lived to be held on a common judgment day, which will be the end of time. The belief in an immediate individual judgment was also held in pharaonic Egypt. Both beliefs have been adopted by Jews, Christians, and Muslims.

The foregoing diverse interpretations of the nature and significance of the individual human being's experience and observation of time differ sharply from each other, and they have led to equally sharp differences in views of human history and of ultimate reality and in prescriptions for the conduct of life that these differing views have suggested. Variations in the two basic views of time and in the corresponding codes of conduct have been among the salient characteristics distinguishing the principal civilizations and philosophies and higher religions that have appeared in history to date.

Here is the question with the answer choices:

The author qualifies the Buddhist belief that life in the time flow is illusory by citing:

• the Buddhist belief that life in the time flow is followed by an everlasting life
• the similarities between the Buddhist Nirvana and the Platonic world of Ideas
• the Buddhist belief that life in the time flow, though wretched, decides a person's destiny
• Heracleitus' contention that the time flow is the essence of reality
• the Buddhist belief in the cyclical nature of time

I understood the question as asking, "How does the author show that the Buddhist belief that life in the time flow is illusory?"
I answered, he does this by citing "the similarities between the Buddhist Nirvana and the Platonic world of Ideas, at the end of the first paragraph (answer choice B).

I mean, the second half of the first paragraph expounds this:
"In this view, time is an illusion. The illusoriness of the world ... is also ..found in some Indian philosophy. [They]...all held that life in the time flow...is at best a low-grade condition [like] Nirvana [and the] world of Ideas; ...in which [things are fake/illusory]."

The answer in the Magoosh video is answer choice C. Listening to the explanation, the meaning of qualify is not expressed.

The dictionary meaning is something along the lines of "able/capable of doing something." The non-dictionary meaning is on the tip of my tongue, but I'm only able to express it as "show."

I think this is possibly why I got this wrong...

Any vocab / RC masters out there able to help out with this?


Many thanks!
--Rishi

[garima99]

Hi all,
I was practicing some RC passages earlier & trying to incorporate writing while reading (not going too well, but that's a different story). I reached a passage about Time and had a question where I didn't really understand what was being asked.

Here is the passage:

The human experience and observation of time has been variously interpreted. Parmenides, an Italiote Greek (Eleotic) philosopher (6th-5th century BC), and Zeno, his fellow townsman and disciple, held that change is logically inconceivable and that logic is a surer indicator of reality than experience; thus, despite appearances, reality is unitary and motionless. In this view, time is an illusion. The illusoriness of the world that flows in time is also to be found in some Indian philosophy. The Buddha and, among the Greeks Plato and Plotinus, all held that life in the time flow, though not wholly illusory, is at best a low-grade condition by comparison, respectively, with the Buddhist Nirvana (in which desires are extinguished) and with the Platonic world of Ideas; i.e., of incorporeal timeless exemplars, of which phenomena in the time flow are imperfect and ephemeral copies.

It has been held, however, by disciples of the Greek philosopher Heracleitus, that the time flow is of the essence of reality. Others have held that life in the time flow, though it may be wretched, nevertheless is momentous; for it is here that a person decides his destiny. In the Buddhist view, a person's conduct in any one of his successive lives on earth will increase or diminish his prospects of eventually breaking out of the cycle of recurrent births. For those who believe in only one earthly life, however, the momentousness of life in the time flow is still greater, because this life will be followed by an everlasting life at a destination decided by conduct in this brief and painful testing time. The view that life in time on earth is a probation for weal or woe in an everlasting future has often been associated, as it was by the Iranian prophet Zoroaster (c. 600 BC), with a belief in a general judgment of all who have ever lived to be held on a common judgment day, which will be the end of time. The belief in an immediate individual judgment was also held in pharaonic Egypt. Both beliefs have been adopted by Jews, Christians, and Muslims.

The foregoing diverse interpretations of the nature and significance of the individual human being's experience and observation of time differ sharply from each other, and they have led to equally sharp differences in views of human history and of ultimate reality and in prescriptions for the conduct of life that these differing views have suggested. Variations in the two basic views of time and in the corresponding codes of conduct have been among the salient characteristics distinguishing the principal civilizations and philosophies and higher religions that have appeared in history to date.

Here is the question with the answer choices:

The author qualifies the Buddhist belief that life in the time flow is illusory by citing:

• the Buddhist belief that life in the time flow is followed by an everlasting life
• the similarities between the Buddhist Nirvana and the Platonic world of Ideas
• the Buddhist belief that life in the time flow, though wretched, decides a person's destiny
• Heracleitus' contention that the time flow is the essence of reality
• the Buddhist belief in the cyclical nature of time

I understood the question as asking, "How does the author show that the Buddhist belief that life in the time flow is illusory?"
I answered, he does this by citing "the similarities between the Buddhist Nirvana and the Platonic world of Ideas, at the end of the first paragraph (answer choice B).

I mean, the second half of the first paragraph expounds this:
"In this view, time is an illusion. The illusoriness of the world ... is also ..found in some Indian philosophy. [They]...all held that life in the time flow...is at best a low-grade condition [like] Nirvana [and the] world of Ideas; ...in which [things are fake/illusory]."

The answer in the Magoosh video is answer choice C. Listening to the explanation, the meaning of qualify is not expressed.

The dictionary meaning is something along the lines of "able/capable of doing something." The non-dictionary meaning is on the tip of my tongue, but I'm only able to express it as "show."

I think this is possibly why I got this wrong...

Any vocab / RC masters out there able to help out with this?


Many thanks!
--Rishi

[gunjan1208]

Absolutely agree with Garima. I could get C.

Could you please mention what is the difficulty level of this passage?
It was pretty dry and persuading me to go to sleep

[rishimaharaj]

Hello Gunjan,
The question is labeled as a 700+ question.

Hello Garima,
Can you explain how you knew that your highlighted section was the answer to "qualifies?" In the explanation video, they use the same section to show that C is the answer, but they don't explain it.

Thanks,
--Rishi

[dolcissimo]

The meaning of "qualifies" in this question is the secondary definition of "to modify or limit in some way; make less strong or positive" [1] or "to limit the strength or meaning of a statement" [2].

Therefore, your interpretation of the question is actually opposite. The question is really asking: "How does the author counter or weaken the belief that life in the time flow is illusory?"

Since the second paragraph is essentially a "but..." or "however..." addendum to the first, it's fitting that the correct answer choice is a quote from that paragraph.

[saketk]

Hey Rishi - can you paste the other questions from this passage as well.
I got this one correct and would like to attemp the other questions from this passage.

This is a great passage and since I love reading I found this one interesting.

[rishimaharaj]

Thanks dolcissimo for your explanation! That's what I was looking for!

Saketk, here are a few more questions that came with the passage.

The primary purpose of the passage is to:
A. explore the beliefs held in common by Jews, Christians, and Muslims
B. describe diverse interpretations of the significance of time
C. discuss how different interpretations of time lead to different prescriptions for the conduct of life
D. advocate the view that the human experience of time is cyclic
E. refute the notion that change over time is logically inconceivable

[spoiler]Difficulty 700+; Average Pace 1:47;
(B) is the credited response.

The primary purpose of the passage is clearly stated in the first sentence: "The human experience and observation of time have been variously interpreted." The author goes on to describe some of those various interpretations. Only (B) accurately reflects this purpose.

(A), (C), (D) and (E) are incorrect.
(A) and (C) are mentioned, but are not primary purposes. The author neither advocates nor refutes, thus (D) and (E) can be eliminated.[/spoiler]

According to the passage, which of the following beliefs was held by the Greek philosopher Parmenides?
A. Life in the time flow, though wretched, is momentous.
B. Life in the time flow pales in comparison with the world of Ideas.
C. Reality is defined by singularity and motion.
D. Phenomena in the time flow exemplify a higher condition.
E. Logic and experience lead to different conclusions about time.

[spoiler]Difficulty 550-700; Average Pace 2:41;
(E) is the credited response.

The second sentence of the passage states that Parmenides "held that change is logically inconceivable and despite our experience of change, logic is a surer indicator of reality than experience." Therefore, logic and experience lead us to different conclusions about time-response (E) is the best choice.

(A), (B), (C) and (D) are incorrect.
(A) is attributed to the Buddha, and (B) to Plato. (C) and (D) seem to contradict Parmenides' belief.[/spoiler]

If the author's assessment of Parmenides' ideas is correct, with which of the following platitudes would Parmenides most likely agree?
A. The more things seem to change, the more they remain the same.
B. Row, row, row your boat, life is but a dream.
C. Live each day as if it were your last.
D. The road to hell is paved with good intentions.
E. Those who neglect history are condemned to repeat it.

[spoiler]Difficulty Below 400; Average Pace 1:37;
(A) is the credited response.

This question requires you to make an inference about what Parmenides would agree with. According to the passage, Parmenides held that change, despite appearances, is logically inconceivable and reality is motionless; thus (A), "the more things seem to change, the more they remain the same" would seem to be a statement with which he would agree.

(B), (C) and (D) are incorrect.
Responses (B), (C), and (D) do not paraphrase the ideas of Parmenides as related by the passage.

(E) is incorrect.
Parmenides might agree with (E), but (A) is truer to the passage's presentation.[/spoiler]


If you all are interested in more practice problems like these, they are all from the BTG/Magoosh question bank. They are pretty good, but I have not seen too many 700+ questions. I'd recommend these questions though for extra practice alongside OG and MGMAT.

Enjoy!

--Rishi